Abstract

The high turnover rate in the staffing industry has received a lot of attention in the business world. However, initial training may be positively related to a recruiter’s autonomous motivation as well as their thriving and job retention. This research study aims to explore, in the staffing industry, the relation between the initial training provided to recruiters and their autonomous motivation. In addition, the study will explore the relation between autonomous motivation and the recruiters’ thriving at work and their turnover intentions. One hundred recruiters in 22 staffing agencies participated in the study by completing a paper-based questionnaire. The findings from the study revealed support for the seven hypotheses. This study measured initial training in five different ways. Initial training was positively related to autonomous motivation and thriving at work, and negatively related to turnover intentions. In addition, autonomous motivation mediated the relationship between initial training and turnover intentions, as well as initial training and thriving at work. The only measure of training that did not yield expected results was that the number of initial training days had no effect on the dependent variables. The small sample size, a threat to external validity, and history effect are some of the limitations in the study. Future research could expand this study to other industries, increase the sample size, as well as examine if pay structure or type of recruitment influence the results.
Keywords: autonomous motivation, training, thriving, turnover intentions